Latching device



April l0, 1951 R. K. NOTTIGHAM LATCHING DEVICE Filed Aug. l2, 1946INVENTOR. y Raf/nfl /Vollllz'njam BY Fgl7 . /wfm Ht't'orney Patented pr.10, 1.951

LATCHING DEVICE Ralph K. Nottingham,

by mesne assignment Portland, Oreg., assignor, s, to Phillips TutchLatch Co., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August12, 1946, Serial N 0. 689,887

9 Claims. l

The present invention relates to latching devices such as may besuitable for use in connection with doors, drawers, Windows, and thelike.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved latching device which may be mounted, for example, on a cabinetdoor, and which is operable solely in response to pressure exertedagainst the iront side of the door. The latching device is entirelyconcealed, with no portions thereof protruding from or visible from thefront side of the door. The door is latched in the closed position uponclosing movement of the door and is unlatched merely by exerting afurther slight pressure against the iront surface of the door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedlatching device of the class described which is effective for retainingthe door in the closed condition substantially irrespective of the forceor speed with which the door may be closed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved latching device of the type described and which comprises aminimum number of movable parts, all of the parts of the device being ofsimple design and of low cost manufacture. Y

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying fdrawings while the features of novelty will be pointed out with greaterparticularity in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is a front elevation illustrating a cabinet withthe flush type door equipped with a latching device of the presentinvention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one portion of the latchingdevice of the present invention and taken along the line 2-7-2 of Fig.1; Fig.` 3 is airont elevation illustrating a second part? of thelatching device of the present invention and taken along the line 3 3 ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 is aside elevation taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;Fig. 5 is a side elevation taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 isa sectional view illustrating the parts in proper relative position ofmounting; Figs. 7 to 16 inclusive are fragmentary detail viewsexplanatory of the operationof the latching device of the invention; andFig. 17 is a` fragmentary sectional view taken along the line I'I-I'I ofFig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the latching device of the invention willbe described as it may be mounted in a cabinet. It will become apparent;however, as `the v'description` proceeds that the latching device may beused in connection with other applications in which it may be desired tolatch a movable member in any limit position relative to a stationarymember. The cabinet shown in Fig. 1 comprises a movable member or doorIll hingedly mounted by hinges II within a stationary member or casingI2 dened by the cabinet frame. The doorIll is of the flush type and isheld closed by the latching device, the cooperating parts of which aremounted as indicated at I3 at adjacent points of the outer edge of thedoor and of the door casing. The latching device has no parts projectingfrom the outer surface of the cabinet and is wholly concealed from Viewfrom the iront side of the cabinet. No knob, handle or pull is requiredso that there is no hardware iixture extending from the front surface tointerfere with dusting,

f polishing or cleansing the outer surface of the cabinet. The door isbiased outwardly at least when in the closed and partially closedconditions by any suitable spring means such as the button spring unitI4 sunk in the hinged edge of the door and shown in Fig. 17. The springmeans may equally well be incorporated in the hinges or otherwise asdesired.

The latching device of the present invention is comprised essentially oftwo parts, a latch part and a`keeper part, one of which is adapted to bemounted on one of the relatively movable cabinet members while the othercooperating part is adapted to be mounted on the other cabinet member.As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 the keeper is mounted on a rectangularmetal mounting plate I5 secured as by screws I6 to one of the cabinetmembers, such as the door casing i2. A keeper indicated generally at Ilis loosely mounted for free pivotal movement upon the plate I5 by meansof pin I8. The keeper being generally elongate, depends verticallydownwardly from the pin I8 in the inoperative position as shown in Figs.2 and 5. While the keeper I1 may be machined it is preferred for reasonsof greater economy of manufacture to die cast the same of suitable metalalloy. The keeper comprises a pear-shaped back portion 20 with anoutstanding boss 2| having symmetrical front and rear sides and defininga shoulder 22 therebetween facing away from the pin I8, there being adepending lip 23 on each of the opposite sides of the shoulder 22extending toward the lower end of the body member. A stop portion 2liprojects outwardly from the lower end of the back portion 20, the stopportion 24 being centrally angles to the base portion 3B. The prongs 34,35.l

extend parallel with each other and with the ange portion 3l, the prongsbeing somewhat shorter than the width of the flange 3l. The latch unitas shown is adapted'to-be, mounted within a mortised recess provided..inthe rear edge of the door and to be secured 'in place such as by screw38. In Fig. 6 is illustrated the-proper relative locations for the latchunit and thekeeper unit in the corresponding portions of the cabinet.Theprongs 34, 35vextend in a vertical` plane parallelwith the verticalplane through the axis of the keeper pin I8 and are symmetrically spacedabove andbelow the horizontal plane of the, keeper pin I8.- The lowerprong 34 will hereafterbereferred to as a latch pin while the upperprong v 3 5 vwill be referred ,to` as the stop pin.

Referring nowparticularlyto the views of Figs. 7 toi 16 v inclusive themode of operation of the late hingdevice of the present invention willnow be described.V Referring first to Fig. 7 particular attention isldirected to the fact that the upper surfaceof the latch pin 34 isspaced closerto the keeperpin I8 .than the shoulder 22 oi the keeper. AstheI cabinet dooris moved tothe closed position the latch pin 34 willbear against the forward side of theboss 2l and cause the keeper toswing about itspivotal axis in the direction to the right, as viewed inFig. 8. In Fig. 8 the keeper is shown in theY position atthe instant theedge of the lip 23 clears the edge of the latch pin 34. .As the lip 23clears the latch pin the keeper will drop downwardly until the stopportion 24 of the keeper comes to rest against the upper surface of thelatch pin'rasshown in Fig. 9. Engagement of the flange-3| ywiththe endof the keeper arrests further inward movement-ofthe door so that thelatchvpinf34 cannot pass beyond the lower end of therstop-24.Theposition illustrated in Fig. 9 thereforerepresents the inward limitposition of the-latch device and of the door. As pressure upon the frontside of the door is released, the door will beurged outwardly by virtueof the biasing spring I4 mounted at the hinge edge of the doorwhereupon.the Y. latch pinwill move outwardlyaslight distance .and the stopportionr24.

of ,fthe keeper, will drop from the forward edge of thelatch pin asshown in Fig. 10. Continued outward. movement ofthe latch pin 34, andhence of the door, will be arrested by engagement of the latch pinagainst the shoulder 22;.of vthe keeper. The latchedposition isillustrated in Fig. 11 and it will be observed that in this position thekeeper is tilted atan angle which may, for convenience, bereferred to asthe operative or latched position of-the keeper. Outward movement of thelatch pin, orto the left, as viewed in Fig. 11 isrendered impossible dueto the fact that the distance rbetween the horizontal plane through thepivotal axis of the keeper and the upper surface of the latchn pinA isless thanthe distance between the pivotal Vaxis of the keeper and theshoulder 22.

Attention is directed to the fact that latching occurs irrespective ofthe speed or force with whichthegdoorrmay be closed.A Complete rotationof the keeper unit Il as upon sharp impact by latch pin 34 is precludedfor as viewed in Fig. 8 the upper prong 35 forms a stop against whichthe swinging keeper will strike causing it to rebound against the latchpin 34. Since inward movement of the door isrpositively arrested byengagement of the angle flange 3l against the head of thevkeeper, asshown in Fig. 9, it is impossible forthe latch pin `V34 to Inove'beyondlatching position, or beyond the stop portion 24 of the keeper. Thusupon slight outward movement of the door following the initial closurethereofengagement of the latch pin against the shoulder -2'2 ofthekeeper is assured.

Unlatching isaccomplished merely by exertion of a slight,pressureagainstthe front side of the door and movement of the door inwardly beyond thelatched positionas illustrated in Fig. 11 towardthe` inward limitposition, or as illustrated in Fig. 12. In Fig. 12 is illustrated therelative positionsof the latchparts following slight inward movement ofthedoor and in lwhich position the rear lip 23 of the keeper is shownready to slip free from the upper surface of the latch pin 34, totheinoperative position. In Fig. 13 the.

keeper is shown in the vertical or inoperative position free of thelatch pin. Outward movement of the door under force of the biasingspring 28 is thus` permitted and as illustrated in Fig. 14 the keeper istilted toward the left and the boss 2I,passes between the two pins 34and135 until finally it swings entirely free as illustrated by thesuccessive relative positions shown in Figs. 15 and `16.

Attention is'directed Itothe-fact that the keeper is symmetrical onopposite sides of the vertical plane through the pivotal axis and thestop portion24 thereof and that the latch pin 34 and stop pin 35 aresymmetrical above and below the y horizontal plane throughr the pivotalaxis of the keeper. The two latch yparts may therefore be inverted foruse on a left hand d-oor instead of on a right hand doorasshown. Also,the keeper I1 is shown biasedto the inoperative position vby force ofgravity which is satisfactory where the,

latch device istO-bemcunted inaV vertical position. It will be obviousthatif the.device is to.

be mounted in ahorizrontally extending position,

suitable springrmeans may be provided for bias-v ing the keeper totheinoperative position.

FurthermoreZ it is not essential that the stop f flange 3l be providedon the latch plate 30. A suitable inward limit stop for the door ofthecabinet may beA provided bythe'forward edge .of a shelf, such Aas isindicated at 40 in Fig. 2.,

Reduced to its essential elements therefore,the.

invention comprises al latch pin anda pivoted keeper, the keeper havinga shoulderv which enfV gages the latch pinfupon closing ci thedoortdlhold it in .alatched position, the latch pin-being;r releasedI upon a`further inward movement-ofthe door which results in thekeeper-,swinging free of I the latchpin to an inoperative position.

I1 am familiar with the prior United Statesf Patents 1,493,794and1,509,780, both to NellA., Robertson and'no claim is made herein toany-f.v

thing disclosed 4in such patents.

What I claim is:

apart, said device comprising .a latch pin adapted to be mounted on oneof said members, a keeper adapted to be pivotally mounted on the otherof said members, said keeperincluding aboss lhay,

ing forward `and rear sides and dening a shoulder therebetween facingaway from and spaced ,from the pivotal axis of said keeper a distanceslightly greater than thev distance between said pivotal axis and thepath of travel of said latch pin, said latch pin engaging the forwardside of said boss of said keeper upon movement of said membersrelatively together and swinging said keeper from a normal inoperative.position to an operative position angularly disposed with respect tosaid inoperative position, said latch pin upon slipping past the edge ofsaid boss engaging said shoulder whereby said latch pin is restrainedagainst outward movement in a latched position, said keeper including -astop portion spaced from said shoulder for precluding return movement ofsaid keeper to said inoperative position prior to engagement of saidlatch pin against said shoulder, stop means on said one member forlimiting movement of said members relatively together to a limitposition slightly beyond said latched position, said latch pin beingreleasable in response to a subsequent movement of said members towardsaid limit position whereupon said latch pin disengages said shoulderpermitting said keeper to swing freely to said inoperative position,said members being then free to separate.

2. In a latching device for a Ipair of members movable relative to eachother along a predetermined line of movement and normally biased apart,said device comprising a latch pin adapted to be stationarily mounted onone of said members, a keeper adapted toV be pivotally mounted on theother of said members, said keeper including a boss having forward andrear sides and defining a shoulder therebetween facing away from andspaced from the pivotal axis of said keeper va distance slightly greaterthan the distance between said pivotal axis and the path o f travel ofsaid latch pin, said latch pin engaging the forward side of said bossupon movement of said members relatively togetherV for swinging saidkeeper.- from an inoperative to an operative position, stop means onsaid one member spaced from said latch pin for limiting the swingingmovement of said keeper on said other member, said latch pin uponslipping past the edge of said boss engaging said shoulder wherebysaidflatch is restrained against outward movement in a latched position,said keeperincluding a stop portion spaced from said shoulder forprecluding return swinging movement of said keeper prior to engagementof said latch pin with said shoulder, said latch pin being releasable inresponse to movement of said members toward each other beyond saidlatched position whereupon said latch pin passes between said shoulderand said stop portion permitting said keeper to swing freely from saidlatch pin, said latch pin engaging `with the rear side of said boss toswing said keeper forwardly as said members are subsequently movedrelatively apart.

3. In a latching device for a pair of members movable relative to eachother along a predetermined line of movement and normally biased apart,said device comprising a latch pin adapted to be mounted on one of saidmembers, a keeper adapted to be pivotally mounted on the other of saidmembers, said keeper including a boss having forward and rear sides anddening a shoulder therebetween facing away from and spaced from thepivotal axis of said keeper a distance slightly greater than thedistance between said pivotal axis and the path of travel of said latchping past the edge of said boss engaging said shoulder whereby saidlatch pin is restrained against outward movement in a latched position,said keeper including a stop portion spaced from said shoulder, saidstop portion engaging said latch pin prior to engagement of said latchpin with said shoulder to prevent pivotal movement of said keeper to aninoperative position, said latch pin` being releasable in response tosubsequent movement of said members toward each other beyond saidlatched position, whereupon said latch pin slips between said shoulderand said stop portion free of said keeper, said latch pin engaging withthe rear side of said boss to swing said keeper outwardly to aninoperative position permitting free relative separation of said ymembers.

4. In a latching device for a pair of members movable relative to eachother along a predetermined line of" movement and normally biased apart,said device comprising a latch adapted to be mounted on one of saidmembers, a keeper adapted to be Ypivotally mounted on the other of saidmembers, said keeper including a boss having forward'and rear sidesdening a shoulder therebetween facing away from and spaced from thepivotal axis of said keeper a distance slightly greater than thedistancebetween said pivotal axis and the path of travel of said latch, saidlatch engaging the forward side of said boss upon movementvof saidmembers relatively to-ether and swinging said keeper from an inoperativeto an operative position, said latch upon slipping past the edge of saidforward side of said boss engaging said shoulder whereby said latch isrestrained against outward movement in a latched position, means on saidkeeper for precluding return movement of said keeper to said inoperativeposition prior to engagement of said latch against said shoulder, saidlatch being releasable in response to a further movement of said membersrelatively together beyond said latched position whereupon said shoulderslips free of said latch, said latch engaging with therear side of saidboss to swing said keeper outwardly to an inoperative conditionpermitting free relative separation of said members.

5. In a latching device for cooperating fixed and movable membersnormally biased apart at least when in close proximity to each other,said members being movable toward each other to a limit position, saiddevice comprising a latch stationarilycarried byone of said members, akeeper pivotally carried by the other of said members, said keeper beingactuated to an operative position by said latch upon a first movement ofsaid members together, said keeper including a shoulder for engaging andrestraining said latch in said operative position against withdrawal,said keeper including stop means for maintaining said keeper in saidoperative position in event of movement of said members past saidoperative position to said limit position during said first movement,said stop means being spaced from said shoulder whereby upon asubsequent movement of said members from said latched position towardsaid limit position, said latch may pass between said shoulder and saidstop means to permit pivotal movement of said keeper to an inoperativeposition and separation of said members.

6. A latching device comprising a latch and a keeper adapted to bemounted for movement relativo tcochzotherlooe @predetermined pethof.tlerolnsoidekoopor Y.beine elongated .cnopirctclly mopptcdct one,cpd-for pivotalmovomcnt about an, exis .cxtcncimeot fight ongles..mooie-pompt Heriot-Said lic-cpe' boing.. pvotollyfmpvablceipoplepcparallcl tooaid patriot trevctseid koop@ thccirtopcrotvc*positionextending. in. .aoliroctipp.; amigo-tangles tosciofparoofetrovc1iconecten., including; .of.pcrtion;cneaeoeblc:witohci-sido1ofe-.s Soidtkocpclf upon@ rstmcvomcet .of;,;Soii;1aichcloth/olvl toward. Soidgkcopor for Svi/,1.11eiinaSeid;kcopol'gopoot rScifi-#pcc to op operativo postionr, Seid-kooper--inclpdipa o Shoulder. which; ip caio 1 opcrctiroepcsiton, engages Seid;,1otcn;portion to. restrain scidfzlctchoioo oproc1otcrmiricdipostiopelsaid keeper beingrestored to said inoperativegpof sition-by furtherrelative movement of said keeper ond-Saiddotchp tcwardlcach. ctllcrwhereby Seid., latch. ist-,released for relativomovcmcptpway'from saidkeeper, said keeper including means .forupre cludinggetuin movementofsaid keeper fro1n sa 1 d operative to said inoperativevlposii'donprionto engagement of said latch. against said shoulder upon`saidrrst movement oi said latohtoward Ysaid keepen 7. Inaylatchingwdeviceior apair A-of relativelyj movable .members,saidjdevicepomprising arst f unitincludine o. latchodeptcotov'bczmcoptod op ong-of said )mem-bersi-and a -second unit includingoekoopop adapted@ bo mcontcdpn-thc othcpcf-r Soidsmomborso pivotpinapvotelly supporting; seidekccpcracofooid- Second unit, Seid kccpcrdo:`V ningfashpulder. facing away fromsaid pivot ping saidrst andsecondvunitsmeing adapted tobe Scpositicpod with respect toccch:.cthclthet wop; 2f

ctflrst rolotivcfclosipsfmovomcpt of coidmcmocrs@ saidl latch engagesbehind said shoulderfto rez, Stlcnosoid mcmbcrsfin latchccposition`ande-oe Stop portionon; Soictcccopd -lmit spacco, from l said shoulderandyadapted tobelengaged by,said uf gegcmcpt .of caidlotchoeaicSt-Soid.clcicclclcrf` said; latch upon y,subsequent movementpf-said-memf, bersY in. the same. directionbeyond said ,latched positior 1 disengagingsaid shoulderY -and .passing 45 o bctwccnf--sod Shoulder :ondfsoidstop.-portiopttc, porfinitseporotionof ooidmcmborise 8, In alatcning` device,for .use with a.. pairlof t relatively ,movable members saiddevicercomprise. ing a rst unit including a latchfxadapdto bef.assooiatedfwithvone of said Amembersi` and aseccpo .unit including okcepcr odeptcdA tolocfaccc? otcowith.-.tho-.otherof said members-o pivotPipi,- protallvfsopportine seid kooporeon said secondo engagement,of-'said latchfagainst said-shoulder,-r

saidf latch upon, subsequent movement of 1 saidunits in ,the samedirection'beyond said latchedposition disengaging said shoulder and.passing betweenasaidsshouldergand.said stop portion to, permitseparation of said units.

9-.3- In a latching device for use. in latchingtwo separable memberstogether against theforceofv means urgingthe`v members apart, theimprovement comprising aflrst latching unit adapted to 20v bemounted onone member, a latch mounted on said'firstfunit, asecond latching Iunitadapted' to'bemounted on therother member to cooperate withsaid'frst-,unit wherebyfto hold said mem@ bers in latched relation toeach other, a pivot pin mounted on said second unit, akeeper pivota1ly-ymounted on. said pivot pin and defining a shoulder facing away from vsaid pivotA pin, and a sopf mounted on said second unit, said-stop beingf engageable by said latch upon a rst relativerclosing movement ofsaidunits to such-an extent' thatsaidlatch passes beyond vsaid shoulder;said-f` stop; relatively guiding said latch :and lkeeper .into Alatching` relation to each other upon the initiationV Ofseparatingmovement of saidfunitsy whereby the forceof said means is restrained bysaid latch. and keeper to hold'the units in latchedposition.saidzlatehvandsaid=stop beingin such relativer. position when .theforcenof said f means is being.v restrained i thereby as .to permit-said latch topass 4beyond-'said stop upon a subsequent move-. ment; inv`tnedirection ofl closing vwhereby saidmembers may thereupon beseparated.

RALPH'K. NOTTINGHAM.;-

REFERENCES CITED z The following referencesare of record11i-viziatafileof jthis -patent :Y l

UNITED STATES PATENTS..

